Why Water Treatment Is Vital to UK Data Centre Growth

How water treatment supports the rapid growth of the UK data centre industry

The UK’s data centre market continues to expand at pace. Despite rising energy costs and growing pressure to meet sustainability targets, investment in new data centre infrastructure shows no sign of slowing down.

In fact, the UK still holds the largest data centre capacity in Europe, and London remains the top colocation hub in the EMEA region.

But as the market grows, so do the operational challenges. Efficient cooling is one of the biggest. This article explores why the UK is seeing such rapid growth in the data centre space, and how water treatment plays a vital role in keeping these facilities efficient, resilient, and compliant.

Why the UK data centre market keeps growing

Demand for digital services continues to rise. Cloud storage, artificial intelligence (AI), streaming, and 5G all require high-performance infrastructure, and that infrastructure needs to be local, fast, and scalable.

That’s why more operators are building in the UK, not just in London but in regional areas too. According to an FM provider’s latest data, cities like Manchester, Slough, Cardiff and Leeds are now major data centre hubs. New sites have also been developed in Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Portsmouth.

Key reasons behind this growth include:

Increased demand for edge computing
Improved access to fibre connectivity across the UK
Government incentives for digital infrastructure
The need for sovereign data storage post-Brexit

As data becomes more critical to everyday life, businesses, cloud providers, and hyperscalers are all looking for ways to scale quickly, without compromising on performance or sustainability.

The role of cooling in data centre performance

All data centres need cooling. Servers and network equipment generate a lot of heat, and without proper cooling, systems can overheat and fail.

Many UK facilities rely on water-based cooling systems, particularly for high-density workloads. Water is far more efficient at transferring heat than air, making it ideal for:

Hyperscale data centres
AI and machine learning infrastructure
Colocation and edge environments

However, these systems require proper water treatment to remain effective and compliant.

Why water treatment Is essential in modern data centres

Water treatment is not just about preventing limescale or keeping pipes clean. In a data centre setting, it directly affects:

Cooling performance
Energy efficiency
System lifespan
Operational certainty
Sustainability outcomes

At Marlowe Environmental Services (MES), we work with operators across the UK to design smart water management strategies for:

Liquid cooling systems: Increasingly common in high-performance facilities. We provide water treatment solutions that support optimal performance and protect valuable assets from corrosion and scale build-up, which will reduce cooling efficiency and put data centres at risk from downtime.

Cooling towers: Used in larger data centres, cooling towers are highly efficient but consume large volumes of water. To reduce waste and improve ROI, we install water recovery and rainwater harvesting systems. Some clients are able to recover up to 70% of process water, reducing both costs and environmental impact.

Closed-loop systems: Air-cooled data centres using closed-loop systems are at risk from corrosion if water quality isn’t monitored. We use real-time corrosion monitoring to:

Track water chemistry
Detect potential corrosion issues before they become a problem
Avoid unnecessary interventions and streamline maintenance practices

This helps operators reduce water and chemical use, and maintain system efficiency.

A growing and vital market

The UK’s expanding data centre network is a vital part of the digital economy. But alongside expansion comes the responsibility to reduce environmental impact, manage resources efficiently, and ensure system reliability.

At MES, we help data centre operators meet these challenges head-on through smart, sustainable water treatment. As demand for digital services grows, so will the importance of efficient water and cooling management.

FAQs

Why is water-based cooling used in data centres?
Water has a much higher thermal conductivity than air, making it more effective at removing heat from high-density equipment.

What’s the risk of not treating data centre water systems?
Untreated systems are more prone to scale, corrosion, biofilm, and bacteria, all of which reduce cooling efficiency and can lead to system failures or compliance issues.

How much water can be saved through recovery and recycling?
Well-designed water recovery and re-use systems can save up to 70% of water, which provides a significant cost-saving in large-scale facilities using cooling towers.

Do all data centres need real-time monitoring?
Real-time monitoring is particularly valuable in closed-loop systems where issues like corrosion aren’t visible. It enables predictive maintenance and improves system performance.

Is water treatment part of data centre sustainability strategy?
Yes. Efficient water use, recycling, and chemical reduction all contribute to ESG goals and help operators meet environmental targets.